146.615 Advanced practice clinician training grants.

(1) In this section:

(a) “Advanced practice clinician" means a physician assistant or an advanced practice nurse, including a nurse practitioner, certified nurse-midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or certified registered nurse anesthesiologist.

(b) “Clinic” has the meaning given in s. 146.903 (1) (b).

(c) “Hospital” has the meaning given in s. 50.33 (2).

(d) “Rural clinic” means a clinic that is located in a city, town, or village in this state that has a population of less than 20,000.

(e) “Rural hospital" means a hospital that is located in a city, town, or village in this state that has a population of less than 20,000.

(2) Beginning in fiscal year 2018-19, from the appropriation under s. 20.435 (1) (fk), subject to sub. (3), the department shall distribute grants to hospitals and clinics that provide new training opportunities for advanced practice clinicians. The department shall distribute the grants under this section to hospitals and clinics that apply, in the form and manner determined by the department, to receive grants and that satisfy the criteria under sub. (3).

(3)

(a) The department may distribute up to $50,000 per fiscal year per hospital or clinic.

(b) If the department distributes a grant to a hospital or clinic that has not previously received a grant under this section, the hospital or clinic receiving the grant may use the grant to create the education and infrastructure for training advanced practice clinicians or for activities authorized under par. (c). In distributing grants under this section, the department shall give preference to advanced practice clinician clinical training programs that include rural hospitals and rural clinics as clinical training locations.

(c) If the department distributes a grant to a hospital or clinic that has previously received a grant under this section, the department shall require the hospital or clinic to use the grant to pay for the costs of operating a clinical training program for advanced practice clinicians, which may include any of the following:

1. Required books and materials.

2. Tuition and fees.

3. Stipends for reasonable living expenses.

4. Preceptor costs, including preceptor compensation attributable to training, certification requirements, travel, and advanced practice clinician training.

(d) A recipient awarded a grant under this section shall match through its own funding sources the amount of the grant distributed by the department for the purposes of operating an advanced practice clinician rotation.

(4) A hospital or clinic sponsoring a training program for advanced practice clinicians supported by a grant under this section may determine what, if any, posteducation requirements must be fulfilled by participants in the training program for advanced practice clinicians.

History: 2017 a. 59.